Jonathan Vilma News

Surely their fingertips are a trifle charred by now, palms just a tad scalded. Brett Duke/The Times-Picayune The Carolina Panthers' Tyler Brayton gets his fingers on the ball, causing New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees to fumble in the first quarter of their NFC South game Sunday at the Superdome.

In his past nine games against the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith has 61 catches for 845 yards and eight touchdowns .

I hereby dub this the Beastem Game. And so, look out for Robert "Beastem" Meachem this Sunday as the New Orleans Saints host the Carolina Panthers .

After years of coaching against the New Orleans Saints, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden will be an unbiased observer of the team Monday when it hosts the Atlanta Falcons on ESPN's "Monday Night Football." This is Gruden's first season as an analyst.

Saints fever is an intoxicating mixture of pride, performance and potential, which fueled an instant listener poll on WWL-AM not long after the local football juggernaut improved to 7-0 with a 35-27 victory against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.

Well, that was a long night. Long after the fans left the Dome and got to bed, sportswriters remained.

Saints running back Pierre Thomas and tight end Jeremy Shockey celebrate Thomas' touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in first-half action in New Orleans.

New York Jets tight end Dustin Keller is tackled by New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, left, and cornerback Tracy Porter during the second half of an NFL football game at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct.

With one more takeaway, the New Orleans Saints will match their entire season total from 2006.

Darren Sharper takes some good-natured ribbing from teammates about his age and his supposed declining ability.

Jonathan Vilma News: Jonathan Vilma has been dealt a $10,000 fine for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Giants' quarterback Eli Manning in Week 6, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. [ + ] Impact: The star linebacker intends to appeal the fine.

Almost lost in the New Orleans Saints' stirring comeback win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday was the fact the Saints turned the Dolphins' ballyhooed Wildcat into a Mildcat.

Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma joined the show to discuss their 6-0 start. Dan asked Vilma if he was upset so many people talked about New Orleans' offense instead of the defense.

The ball just continues to find New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper , who now has six interceptions and three touchdown returns this season.

The Saints had never trailed in five games. Suddenly, New Orleans was down 24-3. Drew Brees was sacked a total of four times in five games and then Miami sacked him five times.

The Saints have forced two or more turnovers in each of their six games this season and have an NFL-high 17 takeaways this season.

Talk of the Wildcat and running back Ronnie Brown has fatigued the New Orleans Saints.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning throws a pass that is intercepted by New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper and is returned for a touchdown, but the play is called back when linebacker Jonathan Vilma hits Manning.

Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas NEW ORLEANS -- There was one very touching anecdote out of the Saints' locker room after Sunday's victory against the Giants.

From my seat in the upper terrace level of the Superdome, I can see the entire field and then some.A Sure, the players look a little smaller; and sure, every now and again I have to squint to make out numbers on the jerseys.